Fort Worth Characters 2 (Volume 10) (Texas Local Series)

Fort Worth Characters 2 is a sequel to Fort Worth Characters (UNT Press, 2009) by Richard F. Selcer, the preeminent historian of Fort Worth. The first book was a baker’s dozen of some curious, quirky, and forgotten people from Fort Worth’s past. This book continues the theme of human-interest stories of twenty-five more characters pulled from Fort Worth history. There are Blacks and whites, men and women, criminals and crime-fighters, showgirls and preachers, musicians and football stars. Some, like Frank James, were already famous when they came to Fort Worth. Others, like “Stutterin’ Sam” Dowell, were “discovered” here before going on to fame and fortune on the national stage.
 
How about a character who might have been the inspiration for detective Nancy Drew? Or a female reporter who was the first American to score an interview with the president of Mexico? How about a husband-wife pair who might have been the first African American “power couple”? Or an abortion doctor convicted at trial in Fort Worth in 1913? These and more are covered in the pages of Fort Worth Characters 2, along with Selcer’s considered—and sometimes provocative—opinions on where they fit into history.

Fort Worth Characters 2 is profusely illustrated, with many rare photographs. It is the untold story of Fort Worth, broken down into bite-sized chapters. These are the stories of some folks who didn’t make it into the usual history books. And for a few who did, this book adds new information to their lives.

RICHARD F. SELCER is a native Fort Worther who holds a PhD from TCU and has authored several UNT Press titles, including Fort Worth Stories; Fort Worth Characters; A History of Fort Worth in Black & White: 165 Years of African-American Life; and (with Kevin Foster) volumes 1 and 2 of Written in Blood: The History of Fort Worth’s Fallen Lawmen.